For most freshmen, college golf is about adjusting. For Kihei Akina, it has been about arriving.
The BYU freshman did not just step into one of the toughest conferences in college golf this season, he became one of its biggest stars.
On Monday, the Big 12 recognized that breakout year by naming Akina the 2026 Big 12 Freshman of the Year while also placing him on the All-Big 12 First Team. Teammate Simon Kwon earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors after putting together one of the most consistent seasons of his collegiate career.
Week after week, the freshman from Hawaii played with the confidence of a veteran. He posted two tournament victories, 10 top-10 finishes and seven top-five finishes while leading BYU with a 68.92 scoring average. He finished runner-up at the Big 12 Championship and climbed to No. 6 in the national rankings, the second-highest ranked golfer in the conference.
His defining moment came at the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational in March. Akina fired rounds of 65, 67 and 63 to finish 21-under-par, setting a BYU school record for lowest 54-hole score.
The performance turned heads nationally and solidified him as more than just a promising freshman, he became one of the most dangerous golfers in college golf.
And yet, Akina’s season has been about more than numbers.
He has brought energy back into a BYU program trying to establish itself among the nation’s elite golf schools. Earlier this spring, he competed in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open, giving him experience against professionals before the postseason even arrived. He was later added to the prestigious Fred Haskins Award watchlist, joining a short list of BYU golfers who have entered the national player of the year conversation.
While Akina often grabbed the spotlight, Kwon quietly became one of BYU’s most reliable pieces.
The senior recorded four top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes this season, including a third-place finish at The Tindall at 10-under-par. His steady play helped give BYU depth throughout the year, and his 70.76 scoring average earned him the first conference honor of his career.
Together, Akina and Kwon have helped push BYU golf into national relevance at the right time. One is a freshman already playing like a future star. The other is a senior finally receiving recognition for the consistency he has built over time.